Around 1,000 young researchers visited campus Woudestein this weekend during the Weekend of Science. They could participate in workshops, do experiments or roam the campus with a scavenger hunt. The first edition of the Weekend of Science at Erasmus University Rotterdam was thus a great success.
A selection of the programme: programming robots, an expedition through the universe, philosophising whether animals can fall in love, debunking fake news, the holobox, experiments in the lab and designing superparents. There were 25 different workshops in six rounds, where the children could collect stamps and earn their Erasmus certificate. The budding scientists were thus introduced to the different facets of our university.
Exploring a planet and 'psychic torture'
Visitors Sebastian, Lucas (both 8) and Lars (10) liked the workshop on fake news best: "You got to make fake followers and trick people." They did not like the ‘brain spider’ workshop, on why you eat without being hungry, because it had sweets that they were not allowed to eat "and that is psychological torture." Finally, at 'Expedition Moendoes', the boys got to explore a new planet.
Along with a buddy
Children who wanted to visit this science festival but did not have an adult to go with them were paired with a 'buddy'. The buddies, students from our university, took the children under their wing on campus.
Organiser Eloïse Swets of Erasmus University Rotterdam’s Wetenschapsknooppunt looks back on a particularly successful day: "We only had positive reactions in the evaluation. And all those happy children's faces on campus are just brilliant, hopefully we can follow this up next year!"
Weekend of Science 2023
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About the Weekend of Science
Weekend of Science is the free science festival for everyone aged 8 to 88. Tech companies, universities and museums open their doors every year. The first edition of this festival on campus Woudestein was organised as part of our 22nd Lustrum.
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